To tell you the truth, I’m already putting Phoenix back on my list of vacation locations to take in the near future. It’s actually listed above some places that I haven’t been yet. I just feel like there is so much more to experience in Phoenix and I need to go back. Plus, I met so many amazing people who I need to go back and visit.
If you haven’t read part I of my reasons as to why you should visit Phoenix, make sure to catch up on that ASAP. In my prior post, I talked about the places where you should stay as well the first collection of places for you to eat and drink. And because there are so many, I have my next set of places to share with you here.
Photos by JcqulinsPhotography
W H E R E T O E A T & D R I N K
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If you’re looking for a place with innovative and house made flavors, I highly suggest The Dressing Room. It’s not your typical dining space which makes the experience of eating at the restaurant so comfortable and homey. They have house made drinks that are so delicious, and before I even made my decision on drinks they allowed us to taste the flavors to make our choice. The Dressing Room is the restaurant that holds my favorite non-alcoholic drink and dessert – I highly recommend even just coming here to get the churro ice cream sandwich.
But let’s back up a little, before I even arrived to lunch/dinner (“brinner?”), I was joined by two Phoenix bloggers and we enjoyed breakfast at the Phoenix Public Market Cafe. The space is self seating to make sure to get there early enough to find the spot that you want. They have specials on the wall, specialty drinks, and delicious breakfast options.
SHOP THE POST:
W H E R E T O F I N D A D V E N T U R E
There are so many things to do in Arizona, and if you’re like me, you’ll want to do everything. And because there are so many fun activities to do in Arizona, I experienced a bunch and I want to share them with you.
If you’re one for adventure and thrill, I highly recommend doing a sunrise hot air balloon ride with Hot Air Expeditions. Though you have to wake up before the sun even thinks about coming it, the experience of going up to 5,000 feet in the air and overlooking the desert with no clear indication of where you will land, is so worth it. With Hot Air Expeditions, no only will you get a smooth, safe ride, you’ll also be celebrated for taking on the ride through a desert breakfast with a champagne toast after your landing.
Now, for those who are interested in learning about the history and culture of Arizona, you’re in luck because there are so many great museums to visit. I had the chance of visiting the Heard Museum – a Native American museum that has an array of amazing artifacts from many local reservations. The staff gives tours almost every hour and provides visitors with a history that you cannot get from sitting in history class.
Phoenix is a great place to take on the desert air. The scenery is definitely different from anything you’ll see on the East Coast. But while in Phoenix, you must head over the Desert Botanical Gardens to truly see the beauty of the desert. They have flashlight tours at night that gives you a whole new experience of seeing the desert scenery along with all the plants and wildlife. My favorite place in the gardens was the butterfly gardens with the beautiful display of colors and flowers.
Let’s head back to the morning though and talk about breakfast. Now that you’ve eaten at the Phoenix Public Market, why not enjoy the afternoon there and shop the local sellers and take a short tour around the area to look at the building murals. There are so many cute cafes and coffee shops that local area, so spending an early morning into afternoon there is worth it. Some suggested places to visit are: Cartel Coffee Lab, DeSoto Central Market, and the Tea & Toast Co.
Lastly, everyone needs an evening of relaxation while on your trip. And the Phoenix resorts are filled with amazing spas that can rejuvenate you so that you don’t get too tired to experience everything there is to visit in Phoenix.
Luna Spa at the Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch is just the place to go in order to hit that restart button. I suffer from back problems since I spend a lot of time on my feet as a teacher – plus, I’m flat-footed. At the Luna Spa, the masseuse was able to dig deep into those knotted muscles and work out all those kinks. The next morning I was ready to go with no pain.
Thank you to Visit Phoenix for sponsoring me on this trip. Thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
